Sermon Notes

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:35-45 // The Brothers’ Request

“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?’ And they said to him, ‘We are able.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Mark 10:35-45

“Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers

Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs

Just because He doesn’t answer, doesn’t mean He don’t care

Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”

1. The Grand Request

“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’” Mark 10:35-37

Grand (adj.) – Magnificent in appearance. The most important of its kind.

Then Peter said in reply, “‘See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’” Matthew 19:27-28

“‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’” Mark 10:35b

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26

2. A Gentle Rebuke

“Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?’” Mark 10:38

“And Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized…’” Mark 10:39b

We must trust that where we are is where we are ready to be.

“In short, God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knew.” Tim Keller

“I am like James and John. Lord, I size up other people in terms of what they can do for me; how they can further my program, feed my ego, satisfy my needs, and give me a strategic advantage. I exploit people, apparently for your sake, but really for my own. Lord, I turn to you to get the inside track and obtain special favors, your direction for my schemes, your power for my projects, your sanction for my ambitions, your blank check for whatever I want. I am like James and John” Robert Raines

“‘…to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’” Mark 10:40

3. A Great Reminder

“‘But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.’” Mark 10:43-44

Kingdom citizens are called to live different. As we do, the world will call us foolish.

“‘For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Mark 10:45

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8